Food streets take off in Islamabad

By Mohammad Kamran

ISLAMABAD: Food streets have become a part of the social culture in metropolitan cities and provide middle class families opportunities to socialise. These new food bazaars offer a variety of traditional and continental dishes at one place at affordable prices besides providing a chance for formal and informal meetings. Going to a food street has become a social norm.

“I always prefer to invite my friends to food streets. In fact it is very economic. You just go through the menu card, place an order and enjoy ready service and delicious food. I have found the same cuisine in four star hotels. The food is the same but the prices are much lower,” said Sidique Alvi who claimed to be a frequent visitor of Rawalpindi Food Street.

It is usually difficult to find space in these streets during rush hours particularly at lunch and dinner times. In the afternoon, the majority of diners are office workers while at night the streets attract families. In an open air atmosphere the diners chat, gossip and discuss routine matters.

Another diner said he used to go to of Islamabad where the first food park in the twin cities was established three years ago but now the facility was available in both cities.

“Usually we face problems on weekends and public holidays when there is an immense crowd. We cannot arrange extra seats for diners because of shortage of space. Because of that a number of customers go back without eating,” said Muhammad Ramazan who runs a ‘pulao kabab’ shop in Rawalpindi Food Street.

The capital administration is working on establishing another food street in a posh corporate area of the capital, Blue Area. This new street will also help reduce the number of other food parks during peak hours.

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